The invention relates to an electronic clutch management system for motor vehicles with internal combustion engines. In such a system, a micro-controller, in dependence on an ECM ("Electronic Clutch Management") sensor mechanism which senses the current position of the butterfly valve of the internal combustion engine, drives an actuator element to actuate a clutch disposed between the internal combustion engine and a transmission. In the system, the function of the micro-controller is continuously monitored and, if the function of the micro-controller should fail or be disturbed, the system is turned off.
Electronic clutch management systems of this type and intended for this purpose are well known and established. However, in such a system improper operation or even complete failure of the electronic control can never be excluded with complete certainty. In such circumstances, clutch activations can occur, which may be unsuited to the particular operating situation or even contrary to it.